DOT Final Rule Says Biden-Era Fuel Standards Misused Law, Paves Way for Rollback

The Transportation Department says prior rules illegally relied on electric vehicles to set fuel economy standards and signals coming changes.

Commuters travel in Los Angeles on April 11, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final rule Friday, June 6, declaring that fuel economy standards set during the Biden administration violated federal law by factoring in electric vehicles, a move that lays the groundwork for looser future requirements.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the rule corrects what the department calls an “illegal regulation” and affirms its authority to reset how Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, standards are set. While the rule doesn’t change current requirements, it clarifies how NHTSA will interpret its legal authority in future rulemaking.